Court restrains anonymous defendants from using NATURAL family marks and orders blocking of deceptive websites to protect established franchise brand
In a significant ruling on 8th October 2026, the Bombay High Court granted an ad interim injunction in favour of Siddhant Ice Creams LLP and its master franchisee, safeguarding the well-known NATURAL family of trademarks from infringement by unknown persons operating counterfeit websites and issuing forged franchise communications.
The Plaintiffs, proprietors of the NATURAL ice cream brand since 1984, presented compelling evidence of extensive goodwill, registered trademarks, and a vast franchise network spanning 42 cities with 193 franchisees. Over the decades, the brand has exhibited exponential growth, with turnovers escalating from a modest INR 2,08,150 in 1985-86 to over INR 3,14,09,65,585 in 2024-25 and cumulative franchisee turnover reaching hundreds of crores. The Plaintiffs also disclosed substantial promotional expenditures exceeding INR 1.77 crore in the year 2025-26 alone.
The Defendants, identified only as John Doe(s), had allegedly created deceptive and counterfeit websites, email addresses, and forged franchise letters falsely purporting a connection with the Plaintiffs. These acts were aimed at misleading the public and potential franchisees to extract money under the guise of legitimate franchise opportunities. The court observed that the anonymity provided by the internet facilitated these wrongful acts, complicating identification but not mitigating liability.
Counsel for the Plaintiffs, Mr. Hrishikesh Shukla, argued that the Defendants' use of the NATURAL marks with mala fide intention constituted clear trademark infringement, copyright violation, and passing off. The Plaintiffs sought injunctions restraining the Defendants from further use of the marks, emails, websites, and related materials, as well as directions for blocking the infringing websites.
The court acknowledged the Plaintiffs' strong prima facie case based on the long-standing reputation, multiple trademark registrations, commercial success, and the detailed evidence of counterfeit activities. It emphasized the need to protect established brands against misuse that could cause consumer confusion and financial harm. Accordingly, the court granted interim relief restraining the Defendants and anyone associated with them from using the NATURAL family of trademarks in any form including trade names, domain names, email addresses, or social media handles. The injunction also covered copyright infringement and passing off.
Additionally, the court impleaded entities like GODADDY.COM LLC, the Department of Telecommunications, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology as Defendants to ensure compliance with orders to block infringing websites. The matter is scheduled for further consideration on 7th January 2027.
This judgment underscores the judiciary's proactive stance to curb online trademark infringement and fraudulent business practices, particularly in the digital age where anonymity can embolden counterfeiters. It also highlights the importance of robust intellectual property rights enforcement to protect legitimate businesses and consumer interests.
Bottom Line:
Intellectual Property - Trademark and copyright infringement - Well-known NATURAL family marks used for counterfeit website, deceptive emails and forged franchise communications to mislead public and extract money in name of franchise - Strong prima facie case made out for ad interim injunction restraining use of NATURAL marks, infringement of copyrights and passing off, and for blocking deceptive and infringing websites.
Statutory provision(s):
Trade Marks Act, 1999, Copyright Act, 1957
Siddhant Ice Creams LLP v. John Doe(s), (Bombay) : Law Finder Doc Id # 3004131
